School Without Walls, Rochester, NY

Posted in Email by Dan Drmacich on January 12, 2023. If you're interested in learning more, contact Dan directly.

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Hi All!
Well, it's been about 8 months since our wonderful reunion, back in May, and I'd like to raise another important issue regarding the future of SWW. SWW originally created a Community Board of individual community supporters who, when needed, could take political action to lobby against any possible SWW closure or reduction of services to students. Over the years the Board was influential in that role. Today, there is little danger of closure of SWW, but you never know! SWW has a solid reputation in the community of high attendance, low drop-outs, high graduation and solid parent support. However, they have other needs; particularly with maintaining the integrity & application of the SWW philosophy, by some staff.
Other than assisting with the 2022 SWW reunion, the SWW Community Board has been pretty inactive over the past few years. There have been few requests for any funding of student projects or scholarships. That may be due to a great deal of staff turnover and lack of awareness of the Board's role.
There are many additional issues that the SWW Community Board has taken on & others that it could take on:
- Providing scholarships or financial aid to students to attend local colleges, to participate in local workshops, and for senior project assistance,
- Raising more funds to continue the scholarships,
- Hosting meetings with current SWW students & staff to discuss SWW philosophy & methods,
- Serving on Senior Project and Performance Based Assessment Committees,
- Serving as mentors for students in need,
- Serving as community service resources or sponsors, or
- Collaborating on special events days for the entire school, like a career day, or all school community service projects, or
- Meeting whatever ideas or needs are expressed by students or staff for assistance.
Currently, there are several thousand dollars in the Community Board treasury for student scholarships & awards that have not been used for the past few years, mainly due to the pandemic.
I'd like to meet with you to discuss ways to revitalize & activate our Community Board & am proposing that we meet by Zoom on Wednesday, Feb. 1st from 7-8 pm, to agree on a plan to move forth. Is there someone who could host this proposed Zoom meeting?
Dan

Guest Essay: RIT offers unique opportunity for low-income students Once our family found out about the Destler/Johnson RCS program, we had no option but to go for it.

This is the place where current SWW students, staff and community members talk about what's going on in school right now! Here's a great place to brag about your Senior Project, what cool stuff you might be doing in a class you're taking, where you're working in the community and more. C'mon, folks! Time to start talking!

Two teens share prize on race relations Two local students are winners of the region’s Princeton Prize in Race Relations award.

Thanks for visiting! You'll find more info about SWW's 40th Anniversary Reunion on our Group page (see the link to the left, in that box, right there.)